Article of hosiery and method of making the same



N. J. ALLEN Oct. 13, 1953 ARTICLE OF HOSIERY AND METHOD OF' MAKING THESAME Filed June 4 1951 n.0 n@ mm Y /4 d ,m, www; m

Patented Oct. 13, 1953 ARTICLE OF HOSIERY AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAMENora Jarvis Allen, Highland Creek, Ontario, Canada, assigner, by mesneassignments, to Coats & Clark Inc., a corporation of DelawareApplication June 4, 1951, Serial No. 229,701 In Canada January .24, 1951(Cl. Gli- 178) 10 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in articles of hosiery and methodof making the same and relates more particularly to a multi-coloredknitted sock and to a method of constructing it.

Multi-colored socks have heretofore been knitted with the coursesrunning circumferentially of the leg or toe, which direction Willhereinafter be referred to as horizontally The Wales in a normal socktherefore would be def scribed (using the selected terminology) asrunning vertically. The normal method of knitting a multi-colored sockis therefore a modification of the method for knitting a mono-coloredsock. The modification is that a separate ball of yarn must be used foreach color desired and these This invention provides a multi-coloredsock which is simple and rapid to construct and which has a two-waystretcha'bility to allow for comfort and easy iitting.

The sock embodying this invention utilizes..` separate panels of knittedmaterial which are knitted together, With a backing portion, to form acomplete sock. The panels and backing portion are so shaped andarranged, that the courses in the panels run vertically and the coursesin:L4 the backing portion run horizontally, whereby the sock, whencompleted, has adequate stretchability in all directions.

The panels, if a multi-colored sock is desired,

are each constructed of a single color but dif.

ferent colors are used for diiierent panels. In this way a novel,multi-color effect is achieved and it will be noted that the knittingwill be simple and rapid, since each panel will be knitted with a singleball of yarn. Those adjoining panels which have their courses runningver-v tically, are successively knitted, the loops from the precedingpanel being knitted into the first course of the next panel. In this waythe sock is completed except for a backing portion in Which the coursesrun horizontally. The backing portion forms the rear of the leg, theheel and sole of the foot and may be knit by setting up a series ofstitches which Will complete the upper circumference of the sock andthen com- 2 pleting the backing portion on this set of stitches byknitting back and forth in the usual manner. The heel and toe of thesock may be formed in the conventional manner and when the backingportion and the panel portion are joined at their adjoining edges, acompleted sock is formed.

It is, thus, seen that a sock is provided which is easy to knit,ornamental, and has both vertical and horizontal stretchability.

The invention having been generally described, a specific embodiment isdescribed below, and for illustration, reference may be had to theattached drawings in which:

Fig. 1 shows a side view of the sock;

Fig. 2 shows the panels in the process of assembly; and

Fig. 3 shows a further step in the process.

In a sock, such as illustrated, in Fig. 1, there are interconnectedloops of thread or yarn forming courses and wales therein. The sock |maybe knit in two portions which are joined together with the courses inone portion extending at right angles to the courses in the otherportion. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, there is afront portion or section I0 forming the sides and front of the leg andthe top of the foot which is composed of a number of rectangular panelsin which the courses run vertically and a backing portion I I formingthe back of the leg, the heel and sole of the foot in which the coursesrun horizontally. In the section I0, the Wales of the vertical coursesare indicated at a and in the backing portion II, the Wales oi thehorizontal courses are indicated at a.

The section III is composed of central panels I2 which form the front ofthe leg and top of the foot and side panels I3 which form the sides ofthe leg and are considerably shorter than panels I 2. Vertical bordersI4 may be provided along the side edges of the sides of the leg and thepanels I2 and I3 may be separated by ornamental borders or stripes I5.However, these details will be a matter of choice depending on theparticular design or eliect that is desired. A cuff portion I5 in whichthe courses run vertically may also be provided at the top of thesection IIl and extending across the horizontal width thereof. The twoportions, the section IIJ and backing portion II are sewn together alongtheir adjoining edges as will be hereinafter describedy and in theresulting sock, the vertical courses of the section Ill provide goodVertical stretchability in the sock While the horizontal courses of thebacking portion II provide good horizontal stretchability in the sock.

'1 .i9 The method of knitting the sock will now be described in somedetail. The length of the leg portion and the size of the foot portionof the finished sock may, of course, be arbitrarily chosen. The lengthof the leg portion determines the length of side panels I3 while thelength of the over-all sock determines the length of the central panelsI2. This having been decided, the number of panels and their color maybe selected to suit the tastes of the knitter. In Fig. 1 a sock is shownhaving nine panels consisting of ve central panels I2 and four sidepanels I3 The vertical border portion I4 is equal to the Vertical heightof the cuff plus the length of the panels I3 and is knitted rst and mayconsist of one or more vertical courses. The knitter then continues byknitting a vertical course which continues from the cuff into the rstpanel and is of a length equal to the length of the cui I6 plus thelength of the rst panel I3. The colors of the yarn and also the style ofknitting may be changed in passing from cuff to panel. This is repeateduntil the number of courses desired in the first panel I3 are completed.The sock may then be continued by knitting the following verticalcourses of the same length, but with a different color of yarn for thenext panel which is interknit with the panel just finished. In theembodiment shown herein, however, the ornamental border I consisting ofone or more vertical courses is knitted onto the nished panel and thenew panel I3 is added thereto. The border I5 may be so knitted as to beupraised with respect to the panels on either side and so will present aribbed eiect.

When the selected number of side panels I3 for one side of the leg arenished, the next border portion I5 is continued down to what will be thelower extent of the central panels I2. The central panels I2 are thenknitted in the same manner as the side panels I3, but of a greaterlength. When the required number of central panels I2 for the front ofthe leg and the top of the foot have been completed, the side panels I3for the other side of the leg are knitted onto the last knitted borderI5 of the central panels, so that a symmetrical arrangement of sidepanels I3, central panels I2 and borders I5, is made, the last knittedside panel ending in the vertical border portion I4.

The backing portion II is then knitted with horizontal courses. At theoutset, these courses are of the proper length to complete thecircumference of the sock when combined with the leg portion of thepanel portion Il). The back I 'I of the leg is completed in this manner,and similarly, the heel I8 and sole I9 of the foot portions are added,being knitted in conventional style, with the exception, of course, thatthe courses forming the heel and the sole of the foot continue onlyuntil they are of suflicient length to complement the width of the topof the foot of the panel portion I0 at any particular position, so thattogether the two portions will form a sock of the desired size.

After the sole I9 of the foot is completed, the toe 20 may then beknitted in the conventional manner by forming the necessary loops onthree needles. In order to avoid a sewn seamv across the top of the toewhich might be uncomfortable to the wearer, the loops extendinghorizontally along the lower end of the panel portion I0 may be placedon the needles used in knitting the toe so that the toe will continuefrom these loops. It will be understood in this connection, however,that the two portions forming the front and back of the leg and the footof the sock are knit separately and may be secured together at theiradjoining edges in any suitable manner.

To summarize, briefly, the sides and front of the leg and instep (or topof the foot) are knitted on two needles to form the section I0 in whichthe courses run vertically. The backing portion II comprising the backof the leg, the heel and the sole of the foot in which the courses runhorizontally is then knitted on two needles as a separate piece. The twopieces with courses extending in opposite directions may then be joinedtogether and the toe then finished in the usual way by knitting it onthree needles. Thus, when the toe has been finished and the two portionsare joined together along their adjoning edges, the complete sock isformed.

It is, thus, seen that there is provided a sock having a leg portionwhose side and front sections have Vertical stretchability and whoseback section has horizontal stretchability. Similarly, the sole of thefoot has circumferential (herein called horizontal) stretchability andthe instep or top of the foot has longitudinal (herein Called vertical)stretchability.

In knitting a sock in accordance with the present invention, it ispossible to use several colors in a design without using bobbins andexcepting the toe, it is a two-needle sock. This simplifies the knittingand makes it very easy for a beginner who otherwise might be afraid toattempt the knitting of fancy designs. Also, leftover wools may be usedfor any of the various panels.

It will be understood that various modications may be made in theembodiment of the invention illustrated and described herein Withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention as dened by the claimsappended hereto.

I claim:

1. A knitted sock comprising a leg, a heel and a foot in which coursesare formed by interconnected loops of yarn that is characterized bycourses in the sides and front of the leg and the top of the footextending in one direction and courses in the back of the leg, the heeland sole of the foot extending in a direction at right angles to thefirst-mentioned courses.

2. A knitted sock as dened in claim l wherein the courses in the sidesand front of the leg and the top of the foot extend longitudinally andthe courses in the back of the leg, the heel and the sole of the footextend circumferentially.

3. An article of hosiery comprising a series of rectangular panelsjoined together to form front and side portions of a leg and a topportion of a foot and a back portion which forms a back of the leg, aheel and a sole portion of the foot, said panels and back portion beingjoined together at their adjoining edges and having courses thereinformed by interconnected loops of yarn with the courses in the panelsextending at right angles to the courses in the back portion.

4. An article of hosiery comprising a series of rectangular panelsjoined together to form front and side portions of a leg and a topportion of a. foot and a backing portion which forms a back portion ofthe leg, a heel and a sole portion of the foot, said panels and backingportion being joined together at their adjoining edges and havingcourses therein formed by interconnected loops of yarn with the coursesin the panels extending longitudinally and the courses in the backingportion extending circumferentially.

5. The method of forming a sock which includes the steps of knitting aseries of connected rectangular panels of such a length as to form frontand side portions of a leg and a top portion of a foot, then knitting abacking portion to form a back of the leg, a heel and a sole portion ofthe root, said panels and backing portion being knit, respectively, withinterconnected loops forming courses and wales therein and then joiningthe backing portion to the rectangular panels along the adjoining edgesthereof with the courses in the backing portion extending at rightangles to the courses in the rectangular panels to form tubular portionsof the sock.

6. The method of forming a sock as defined in claim 5 wherein thebacking portion is knit with the courses extending Widthwise thereof,and the rectangular panels are knit with the courses therein extendinglengthwise thereof.

7. In a method of knitting a sock having a leg and a foot, the steps ofknitting a portion with courses extending lengthwise thereof, saidportion forming the front of the leg and the top of the foot, thenknitting la, second portion with courses extending widthwise thereof,said second portion forming the back of the leg and the heel and sole ofthe foot, and then joining the two said portions along their side edgesto form a tubular sock with the courses in the one portion extending atright angles to the courses in the other portion.

8. A knitted sock comprising tWo portions, said portions being joinedtogether along their side edges and forming a tubular leg of the sock,one

of said portions having courses extending vertically with respect to theleg and the other of said portions having courses extending horizontallywith respect to the leg.

9. A knitted sock as defined in claim 8 wherein the portion of the leghaving vertical courses forms the front of a leg and the portieri havinghorizontal courses forms the back of the leg.

10. A knitted sock having a leg and a foot comprising two knittedportions joined together along their side edges, one of said portionsforming the front of the leg and the top of the foot, said portionhaving courses extending vertically with respect to the leg and foot,the other of said portions forming the back of the leg and the heel andsole of the foot, said last-mentioned portion having courses extendingat right angles to the courses in the first mentioned portion.

NORA JARVIS ALLEN.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 456,476 Cartledge July 2l, 1891 1,665,946 Boehme Apr. 10, 19281,971,321 Heyman Aug. 21, 1934 2,217,272 Harris Oct. 8, 1940 2,268,751Harris Jan. 6, 1942 2,416,040 Armstrong Feb. 18, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTSNumber Country Date 628,744 Great Britain Sept. 5, 1949

